Lexus Hoverboard arrives – but it’s a bit tricky, and it’s not for sale (video)

Lexus has created a Hoverboard reminiscent of Marty McFly’s Hoverboard in Back to the Future as a technological challenge for its designers. And it actually works. Sort of.

We’re not entirely sure why Lexus decided to build a Hoverboard – and nor can we see how they can apply what they’ve learnt to automotive needs – but they have, and it works. Well, it sort of works under very specific conditions.

At first glance the Lexus Hoverboard looks like it does just the same job as Marty McFly’s – jump on and you’re away in a puff of dry ice. But it’s not quite like that.

The Hoverboard has a pair of cryostat reservoirs filled with a superconducting material cooled to -197 degrees by liquid nitrogen which allows the board to hover even with the weight of a person.

Sadly, all is not as it seems, and in the real world the Hoverboard would be about as useful as a DLR train on the M1, as it needs magnets under the surface its running on to work.

Lexus constructed just such a facility at a skateboard park in Barcelona to make sure the hoverboard looked like it was back from the future, but although they roped in pro-skateboard star Ross McGouran to try out their new toy, even he found it difficult to get the hang of things without friction to control the board.

Still, well done Lexus for building the hoverboard. Next step Warp Drive?

Lexus Hoverboard Video